Chapter 5
"Train Ride"
Ginny sat up cheerily and saw James in her doorway. "About time. Come on, we're about to go to the station." he said.
"Who's we?" she yawned.
"You're not up yet?" Sirius walked in and looked around at her disorder. Ginny glared at him.
"Get out, I need to change." she said. He smirked and she giggled. "Go." she said. James and Sirius left and Ginny changed quickly before packing all of her stuff. She took her trunk downstairs and saw Lily, Sirius, and James waiting.
"Is Remus going with us or is he already there?" she asked.
"He's always early for the train." Sirius said. She nodded. Lily smiled.
"So, when do we go?" Ginny asked. Sirius smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"You are such an impatient little faerie." he said. She laughed.
"And you're such a cute little puppy.' she cooed. He blushed and Lily and James started laughing.
"You hear that James? Such a cute little puppy." Lily teased. Sirius sighed.
"James, you were right. Women can't resist you if they can embaress you." he sighed. Ginny smiled.
"Well, fine then. If you don't want me to embaress you, I won't." she crossed her arms, faking hurt.
"You know I wouldn't have anyone else embaress me." he smiled, hugging her. Ginny smiled.
"I know." she said. Mr and Mrs. Potter came down the stairs in muggle clothes and Ginny smiled. "Morning." she said.
"Morning. Okay, so, you're going to be a sixth year. That means you'll need a ride..." Mr. Potter began.
"I can apparate." Ginny said. The two adults looked at her, surprised.
"Okay, then you kids...get going. And James...I don't htink we have to warn you again on the punishment if you get more than ten detentions this year." Mr. Potter said.
"Yes, no shooting Mrs. Norris with curses this year." Mrs. Potter nodded. Ginny smiled.
"How about an official Hogwarts toilet seat for the wall?" she asked. Mrs. Potter paled.
"Another Sirius." she sighed.
"Not at all. I'm nowhere as brilliant." Sirius smiled. Ginny blushed. They apparated to Platform 9 3/4 and Lily smiled.
"Come on, James, we need to go tell the prefects what to do." she started pulling him away.
"That's the bossy girl I love." James laughed. Ginny smiled and turned to Sirius.
"We should find a compartment." she said. He smiled and they got on the train, weaving through crowds of people. They stopped and went into a compartment.
"So, what are we going to do all ride? Do you want to play wizard's chess or just apparate to Hogsmeade?" he asked.
"Shouldn't we tell someone we're going?" she frowned. He smiled.
"I suppose. I'll go find Remus. Okay?" he asked. She nodded, smiling. He left the compartment and she sat down, smoothing some of her hair over her shoulder. She was wearing a silk-green, ball-gown-like top and a pair of blue jeans and heels, a bag of money tied to one of the belt straps. Her hair was pulled into a half-bun and it was trailing down over her shoulders in ringlets. She looked up when the compartment opened and gasped, seeing Severus Snape.
"Who are you?" he asked rudely. She glared at him and turned away from him, looking out the window. "I asked you a question, little wretch." he snapped. She turned and glared at him.
"Get out of here, you vile excuse for a human being!" she snapped. He smiled, advancing on her. She drew her wand, standing.
"Ah, you must be a Gryffindor. But certainly not a first year." he looked over her, smirking.
"I told you to get out, I won't warn you again!" she snapped. She raised her wand and opened her mouth.
"Is there a problem here? Snivellus?" a voice asked. They looked towards the door and saw Sirius.
"Not much longer." Ginny said. She began to say the bat-bogey hex, but Remus came in.
"No! Ginevra, is that really how you wish to begin your sixth year at Hogwarts?" he scolded.
"Yes, why are you interrupting me?"
"Ooh, you're friends with Lupin? Do you know about his terrible illness?" Snape smirked.
"I know that his illness is nothing compared to the sickness on your arm." she spat. He gasped, eyes wide. "That's right, I know what you are. So I suggest you be a little nicer to me and my friends." she said. He nodded and left.
"How did you know he would have the mark already?"
"Because it's common knowledge to everyone that's close to the order that he got the mark over his sixth-to-seventh summer." she said.
"Great. Come on, Moony said he'd make sure our stuff got to Hogwarts."
"Okay, I just have to grab something to change into for the dinner." she said. He nodded and did the same, pulling a robe and uniform from his trunk as she followed suit. They shrunk them and put them in their pockets.
"Let's go." he said. She smiled.
"Thanks, professor." she kissed Remus' cheek and she and Sirius apparated to the Shrieking Shack. "So, where to first?" she smiled.
"Well, I was thinking we could go to Zonko's or The Three Broomsticks and hang out until lunch." he shrugged. She nodded.
"Lead the way, Siri." she said. He smiled and they went to Zonko's. He looked through the candies and she looked through the pranks. "My brothers have a joke shop, they started it themselves. The stuff they have is running Zonko's out of business." she whispered. He laughed.
"I bet Molly loved that."
"She did. Especially when they dropped out of school mid seventh year to start it." she giggled. He smiled.
"That would be Fred and George, right?"
"Yes. I stopped by the burrow and looked in at them. She's pregnant with the twins now." she sighed.
"I bet that's got to be weird."
"It is." she nodded, frowning.
"You miss them, don't you?" he asked.
"Of course I miss them. They're my family, Siri." she said.
"Do you wish you'd never come? Think, you'd have woken to your mum calling you down for breakfast and you'd have a nice breakfast with your family and then you'd be in the future, where you know all you need to." he said. She pulled him to look at her.
"Siri, sometimes a past where you know everything can still change is better than a future where all you know is that you don't know anything. I wouldn't trade my time here, with you, for anything." she smiled gently. He smiled and kissed her. She pulled away, blushing. "Siri." she scolded, looking around.
"What? Gin, are you worried you'll get in trouble?" he teased.
"If I was worried about trouble, I'd have steered clear of you." she smiled. He gave a bark of laughter and smiled.
"That you would have. While we're here, and it's about noon, would you care to accompany me to lunch?" he asked. She smiled.
"Well, only since you asked so politely." she said. They walked out and he led her down many streets before they arrived at a small building. It was one story and had color-changing flowers outside under the windows. The building itself was a red-brick and the roof was like a cabin. "Looks homey." she smiled. He led her in and she saw a dish of flowers arranged on every table and the plates were made of enchanted flowers that were completely opened and looked crystalized.
"Like it?" Sirius smiled. She nodded.
"It's beautiful." she said. A woman led them to their seats and Sirius pulled her chair out for her.
"I'll be back in a minute to take your orders." the witch said, handing them menus. She walked off. Sirius opened his menu and began looking through it.
"Do you like...pizza?" he asked. Ginny smiled.
"Is my hair red?"
"I'll take that as a yes. Okay, and what would you like to drink? ButterBeer, pumpkin juice, dragonfire whisky?" he smiled.
"I'll have butterbeer." she laughed. He pretended to snap, dissapointed.
"Okay. Are you planning on trying out for quidditch this year?"
"I've been thinking about it. If I don't practice, I'll get rusty." she smiled.
"And, out of curiosity, what's your best position?"
"Well, I'm a fair seeker, but I'm best at chaser."
"Perfect, that's one of the positions we need." he smiled. She laughed. "How is the quidditch team there?"
"Terrific. But just this last year, my fifth, I had to fill in as seeker for Harry. It was amazing. The last game of the season, Weasley and Malfoy are neck and neck. They reach and...Weasley gets the snitch by a hair!" she cheered quietly. He smiled.
"Malfoy? Lucius had a kid?"
"Yeah, he's Harry's age. Malfoy tried to make friends with him in first year, but Harry turned him down and started hanging out with my brother."
"Ah." he nodded. She smiled at him and the witch came back over.
"Have you made a selection?" she smiled. Ginny smiled at Sirius.
"We'll have a large pepperoni pizza and two butterbeers please." he smiled. The witch nodded and walked off. "You do like pepperoni?"
"Yes." she smiled. He played with a stand of her curls and she giggled.
"Sirius Black. Well, well." a cold voice said. Ginny stiffened, recognizing the voice. She spun, drawing her wand, and glared at Lucius Malfoy. He smirked, looking at her. "Ooh, you got a fiery one this time, I thought you only liked the weak mudbloods like your friend, Potter, does."
"Don't you dare talk about Lily like that!" Ginny spat.
"Why not? Is she your special friend?" he teased.
"If you don't shut your trap and leave us alone, you're going to lose your special friend." she pointed her wand at his crotch. He paled considerably and ran out. Ginny sat down and smiled at Sirius.
"You really scare me, red."
"He's the bastard that gave me Tom Riddle's diary in my first year." she said. He nodded, making an "O" with his mouth. "Sorry if he starts some stupid rumor like you can't defend yourself." she smiled. He frowned.
"Yes, because my killing him with a beater won't stop that." he said.
"Careful. Fred, George, and Harry tried to kill Draco on the pitch and got banned from quidditch." she smiled. He laughed. The witch brought their food over and left. "Oh, yum." she smiled. They ate and left, Sirius leading the way.
"So, what would you like to do?" he smiled. She shrugged.
"How about we go up to the hills and watch the clouds?" she smiled. He nodded and they walked to the hills on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. She layed down in the grass and laughed. He sat next to her.
"You are the most free spirited, happy person I've ever met." he smiled.
"So?" she smiled.
"So, in this time, a happy life is a precious innocense that deserves to remain untouched. I'm so lucky to have found you." he said. She blushed.
"I just happen to know that deatheaters aren't attacking today." she said. He looked at her curiously and she smiled. "I copied down a list of attacks for where I would be. This year, in Hogsmeade, there will be four attacks. Voldemort will be at the first one. So, I'm going to ask Lily and James if they can make sure it doesn't coincide with a school visit. There are supposed to be twelve casualties and I want to make that number drastically lower." she said. He sighed.
"All work and no play makes for a dully-dully day."
"At least it won't be a red day."
"Very cute."
"Well, would you rather lose a few brave gryffindor's that tried to save lives, or be totally prepared and not lose anyone?"
"I see your point. But what are you going to do?"
"Sneak out the witches hump and take the tunnel to Honeydukes. I'll fight with some of the older witches and wizards. This is just a random thing to feel out the defensive powers of Hogsmeade. Because if they get Hogsmeade..." she began.
"Holy Merlin, they'd be able to take Hogwarts."
"Exactly. They can't get Hogwarts. If they get Hogsmeade, they'll have the train station. Students wouldn't have a way to get to school. The deatheaters would be everywhere and would have guards right outside of Hogwarts' gates. The parents wouldn't be able to apparate them in, that would be too dangerous. Then the deatheaters could apparate in, too. Getting the children to the school would be impossible. Let alone getting them out after the inevitable attacks began." she shook her head.
"Okay, I get it You sure take war seriously. Five minutes ago you were peaceful and happy."
"Five minutes ago, you weren't being morbid about my being here. Please, let's not talk about the fighting. You were involved in every battle in Hogsmeade. I'll be there to protect you." she smiled.
"Isn't it my job to protect you?" he chuckled. She laughed and pushed him onto his back, kissing him gently.
"No." she said. He smiled.
They spent the rest of the day talking. They changed quickly and got to the train station just after it arrived. They saw Remus magicking their trunks to the other trunks. "Professor." Ginny smiled, hugging him. He smiled.
"Hello, Ginevra." he said. He looked at Sirius. "Nice hickies." he said. Sirius smirked.
"I wear her love marks with pride." he said. Ginny smiled, wrapping an arm around Sirius' waist. He laughed. "And she's tough, too. Threatened Lucius Malfoy at lunch."
"He deserved it." Ginny defended. Remus smiled. "Where are Lily and James?"
"They came by the compartment shortly before we arrived. James said he's giving you both the talk about birds and bees when we get to the common room."
"But we're a dog and a faerie. I think our way would be a bit more complicated." Ginny whispered teasingly. Sirius doubled over laughing and Remus shook his head, beaming. "Come on, we can all ride up to the school together." she said. They got into a carriage and went up to the school.
When they got inside, Peeves was hovering a few feet in front of them. Ginny looked behind them and saw Lucius, Snape, Crabbe, and Goyle coming in behind them. "Peeves, if you want to get some people that won't jynx you to hell, wait for the next group and pour something hot and messy on them." she said.
"Why should I?" he asked.
"Because I'll help you prank the head boy if you do." she said. He saluted her and they walked in. Lucius and Snape must have spotted her.
"You, fiery brat!" Lucius called. The trio spun and looked at the foursome.
"What do you want, Malfoy? You wanna come get close to me?" she teased. She pouted her lips cutely, motioning the boys closer. They walked in and...SPLASH!
A red, gooey liquid was poured on all four guys. Ginny laughed. "Nice one, Peeves!" she smiled. The trio went into the Great Hall and sat at the end of Gryffindor table. Lily and James were both waiting for them.
"Wait, wait, wait." sirius smiled, pointing at the only entrance. The foursome of Slytherins came in and the entire hall began pointing and laughing at them. Lucius and Snape glared at Ginny and she blew a kiss at them. Sirius smiled. "I thought I got all your kisses."
"I just made the rest of their year a living hell. It's a torture kiss." she said. A look of recognition dawned on her face. "Oh, yeah, James. I promised Peeves a prank on you in exchange for doing that for them." she smiled. James looked at her, shocked. "Don't worry. I promise I'll only make it a one-night stay in the infirmary."
"Lily." James complained. Lily laughed.
"Hey, my brothers are as good as you guys at pranking, of course I picked something up." she said.
"As good as us?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, but you're much cuter." she smiled, kissing his cheek. He smiled. "Now watch the show." she said. The first years had begun filing in.